Chile high court investigating judge who indicted Pinochet

[JURIST] The Supreme Court of Chile [official website, in Spanish] began an investigation Friday into whether Carlos Cerda, the judge who last week indicted the relatives of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet [JURIST news archive; BBC profile], violated a judiciary rule that "forbids judges from criticizing other judges." Cerda order the arrests of a total of 23 suspects [list, in Spanish] including five of Pinochet's children, his widow, his longtime secretary, and three retired army generals for allegedly aiding Pinochet in "the misuse of fiscal funds" during his 1973-1990 military regime. While visiting the United States this week to accept a human rights award at Georgetown University, Cerda told reporters [Santiago Times report] that Chilean courts violated human rights during Pinochet's dictatorship, and that many judges still do not abide by international standards. Defense lawyers for Pinochet's relatives are seeking Cerda's removal from the case.

Pinochet died of a heart attack [JURIST report] in December 2006 without ever facing trial on multiple charges of tax evasion and human rights violations. The Miami Herald has more.

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